Protective apron



S. ROBINSON June 30, 1970 PROTECTIVE APRON 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 30, 1969 HGI FIGIA INVENTOR SYLVESTER ROBINSON flwazwy ATTOR YS PROTECTIVE APRON 3 Sheets-Sheet z Filad Jan. 30, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet S S. ROBINSON June 30, 1970 PROTECTIVE APRON Filed Jan. 30, 1969 u AM,

United States Patent 3,517,394 PROTECTIVE APRON Sylvester Robinson, 655 Ozbnrn Road NW., Atlanta, Ga. 30318 Filed Jan. 30, 1969, Ser. No. 795,249 Int. Cl. A41d 13/04 US. Cl. 2-51 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A waist-encircling strip girdle is overlapped and removably anchored together at its opposite ends to lend support for the users back and abdomen. Separated leg panels adapted to be strapped around the legs are secured at their upper ends to their girdle, leaving a back area of the girdle free and unencumbered by the leg panels to allow freedom of movement. At the same time, the leg panels overlap at the upper parts of their inner edges and extend around to the sides of the users hips to give full front protection. A bib, shirt or tunic top may be provided.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Coveralls or overalls when worn over the usual outer garments are at best diflicult to don and remove and require considerable time to effect these operations. Moreover, even though loose fitting, they tend to be rather warm and uncomfortable, and are likely to restrict freedom of movement on the part of the wearer.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is of primary concern in connection with the present invention to provide a protective overgarment which is at least largely of wraparound type so as not only to allow the garment to be easily removed and donned, but which also is considerably more comfortable to wear than the usual protective overgarments. The construction is characterized by the use of an elongate band of reinforced material which is adapted to encircle the users waist and be anchored at its overlapping end portions at the front of the garment, which girdle lends support to the users abdomen and lower back. The girdle is provided with a pair of depending leg panels adapted to cover the fronts of the users legs and partially encircle same, the leg panels being provided with strap means for securing them in position. The leg panels are directly attached to the girdle at their upper ends but are separated from each other to leave a relatively Wide back portion of the girdle free and unobstructed by the leg panels so as to allow maximum freedom of movement when Wearing the garment. At the same time, the inner edges of the leg panels, when worn, overlap the center line at the front of the garment along their junctures with the girdle and the outer edges of the leg panels, defining the back portion of the girdle therebetween, are spaced apart slightly less than one half the girth of the garment so as to extend around the sides of the hips and afford maximum protection for the front half of the users body.

The girdle is constructed of a pair of bands secured together in face-to-face relationship and the upper edges of the leg panels are sandwiched therebetween. One end of the girdle strap may be provided with a front bib portion symmetrically located with respect to the users body and shoulder straps may extend from the back portion of the girdle for connection to the upper edge of the bib. Alternatively, a shirt like top may be sandwiched along its lower edge between the bands of the girdle or a tunic top may be arranged to have its lower edge sandwiched between the bands of the panels.

In any event, the protective garment is easy to don and 3,517,394 Patented June 30, 1970 ice remove, it lends support and helpful protection for the users back in particular, and it accomplishes its objectives without significantly affecting the freedom of movement of the users legs and'body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIOON OF THE DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a form of the invention and illustrating certain relationships of the girdle and leg panels thereof;

FIG. 1A is a front view of the garment shown in FIG. 1 as worn by a user;

FIG. 1B is a rear view of the garment as worn;

FIG. 2 is an inside plan view of another illustrative embodiment of the invention further showing relationships of the leg panels and the girdle;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the plane of section line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front or outside plan view of the assembly shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a plan view from the front showing another illustrative embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing another illustrative embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With reference at this time more particularly to FIG. 1, the reference character 10 indicates in general the girdle portion of the garment according to the present invention which Will be seen to consist of an elongate strip of reinforced material having overlapping end portions 12 and 14 which, as will hereinafter be described are provided with means for securing them together substantially in the relationship shown in FIG. 1. As is also illustrated in FIG. 1, the overlapping portions 12 and 14 of the girdle 10 overlap on opposite sides of the front center line 16 of the garment. A pair of leg panels indicated generally by the reference characters 18 and 20- are secured at their upper ends to the girdle 10 adjacent the opposite ends thereof and extending into the overlapping portions 12 and 14 thereof. As is illustrated, the two leg panels 18 and 20 are widely separated along the length of the girdle 10 so as to leave a large back portion 22 thereof free and unobstructed therebelow by the leg panels 18 and 20, thus allowing for a maximum of movement without binding, pulling and the like when the garment is worn and various positions are assumed such as sitting, stooping, and the like.

FIG. 1 also illustrates other basic relationships of the present invention, namely that the inner edges 24 and 26 of the leg panels 18 and 20 extend beyond the center line 16 and flare, as indicated by the reference characters 28 and 30, towards their respective ends 32 and 34 of the girdle 10 to present the widest portions of the leg panels 18 and 20 at the juncture with the girdle 10. This overlapping construction results, as is shown in FIG. 1A, in sufllcient overlap at the upper ends of the leg panels 18 and 20 such that full protection is afforded the users legs even in the crotch region. However, the construction does not produce binding or pulling when active positions are assumed when wearing the garment. FIG. 1 also illustrates the fact that the outer edges 36 and 38 of the leg panels 18 and 20 extend somewhat around the sides of the users body, this being more evident in FIG. 1B. Lastly, FIG. 1 illustrates the loops 40 and 42 provided along the inner edge 24 of the panel 20 and the loops 44 and 46 correspondingly arranged along the inner edge 26 of the panel 18 which cooperates with the straps 48, 50, 52 and 54 as shown more clearly in FIG. IE to secure the leg panels 18 and 20 in partially encircling relationship to the users legs. The straps 50-54 may be provided 3 with snap fasteners or the like so that they may be looped through and secured with respect to the loops 40-46.

In the illustrative embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the girdle will be seen to form a support for the bib panel 60 and, as well, for the shoulder straps 62 and 64valthough the relationships between the panels 18 and 20 and the girdle 10 are identical as the relationships described in conjunction with FIG. 1 above. FIG. 2 illustrates somewhat better the fact that the outer edges 36 and 38 of the leg panels 18 and 20 are spaced apart a distance which is slightly less than one half the girth of the garment, as is indicated in FIG. 2, thus allowing these edges to extend around to the sides of the users body sufficiently to provide and afford adequate protection. FIG. 2 also illustrates that the inner side edge portions 24 and 26 of the leg panels 18 and 20 extend somewhat beyond the center line 16 and further illustrate the widened upper end portions 70 and 72 of the leg panels so that adequate overlap in the crotch region and extension to the inner sides of the legs of the user are provided by the leg panels 18 and 20 when secured in place by their associated strap and loop means. The shoulder straps 62 and 64 may be provided with buttonholes to receive suitable buttons 74 and 76 as shown and their opposite ends are provided with buttonholes 78 and 80 as is conventional for attachment to the buttons 82 and 84 at the upper edge of the bib, see particularly FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 in conjunction with FIG. 2 shows the manner in which the anchoring of the overlapped portions 12 and 14 of the girdle 10 is effected. FIG. 2 shows that the inside of the portion 14 is provided at its inner end with a hasp portion 86 and its outer end 32 with the hooks 88 and 90, these three elements cooperating respectively with the hook 92 and hasps 94 and 96 provided on the outer side of the portion 12 of the girdle 10 as is shown in FIG, 4. FIG. 4 also illustrates a pocket 98 which may be provided on the bib 60 and that pockets 100 and 102 may be provided on the leg panels, if desired.

As has been stated, the girdle 10 is of reinforced construction and is constructed in the illustrative embodiment in the fashion indicated in FIG. 3, in this figure, it will be seen that the girdle 10 comprises a pair of elongate generally rectangular bands 110 and 112 folded over along their upper and lower edges as shown and secured together by lines of stitching 114 and 116 which also serve to anchor the leg panels 18 and 20 as well as the bib 60 when between the bands 110 and 112. Throughout the body portions of the bands 110 and 112, crisscross lines of stitching or suitable zigzag stitching may be provided to further secure these bands in face-to-face relationship and generally to rigidify them. As has been stated, the girdle 10 lends considerable back and abdominal support for the user and is constructed in reinforced fashion as shown in FIG. 3 for this purpose. Additionally, as is shown in FIG. 4, tabs 118 and 120 may be secured at their ends 122 and 124 to the free back portion 22 of the girdle 10 and provided with buttonholes for receiving buttons or fasteners 126 and 128 by means of which the free ends of the tabs 118 and 120 may be hitched over to efiectively shorten the length of the girdle portion 10 tightly to fit around the users waist.

In another illustrative embodiment as is shown in FIG. 5, a shirt like, sleeveless top 130 may be provided, the front of the top 130 being provided with suitable fasteners along the line 132 to secure it together in any conventional manner.

FIG. 6 shows another illustrative embodiment of the invention wherein tunic type top 134 is provided. The two tops 130 and 134, like the bib 60, are secured between the bands 110 and 112 of the girdle 10 along their lower edges. In the case of FIG. 5, the top in no way detracts from the ease of donning or removing the gar- .ment. since it, too is of the wraparound type and it in no way detracts from the freedom of movement of the users body as is afforded by the unobstructed band 22 of the girdle 10 because the tops will tend to blouse with respect to the girdle 10 thereabove, it being important only that the girdle 10 has a portion 22 thereof free and unobstructed between the leg panels 18 and 20. The tunic top 134 of FIG. 6 still allows very easy donning and removal of the garment since it is easily slipped over the users head and arms whereafter the girdle portion 10 is anchored in place and the strap means engaged to secure the leg panels operatively in place.

What is claimed is: r

1. A protective garment adapted to lend support to the lower back and abdomen while allowing freedom of movement for the legs and lower torso, said garment comprising in combination,

a waist-encircling girdle, said girdle being of elongate rectangular form presenting overlapping end portions overlying the center front of the garment,

means for detachably securing said overlapping portions together,

a pair of generally rectangular leg panels secured to and depending from said girdle, said leg panels presenting outer side edge portions spaced apart by a distance substantially one half the girth of the garment to leave said girdle free and unobstructed at its back between said leg panels, said leg panels having inner side edge portions extending beyond said center front of the garment along their junctures with said girdle, and

strap means on said leg panels for securing them to a users legs in partially encircling relation thereto.

2. The protective garment as defined in claim 1 wherein said girdle comprises a pair of elongate bands secured together in face-to-face relation, the upper ends of said leg panels being sandwiched between said bands.

3. The protective garment as defined in claim 2 including a bib panel secured between said bands adjacent one end thereof in symmetrical relation to said center front of the garment, and crossed shoulder strap means secured at one end to said back of the girdle and adapted for detachable connection to the upper end of said bib panel.

4. The protective garment as defined in claim 2 wherein said outer side edge portions of said leg panels are spaced apart slightly less than one half the girth of the garment, said outer side edge portions of said leg panels being essentially parallel and substantially perpendicular to said girdle.

5. The protective garment as defined in claim 4 wherein said inner edge portions of the leg panels define progressively widening portions of said leg panels at their junctures with said girdle. I

6. The protective garment as defined in claim 5 including girth take-up means secured to said back of the girdle.

7. The protective garment as defined in claim 2 including a shirt-type top having its lower edge sandwiched between said bands. 7

8. The protective garment as defined in claim 2 including a tunic top having its lower edge sandwiched between said bands.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,153,909 9/1915 Hanes 251 1,217,855 2/ 1917 Zimmermann 251 X 1,411,562 4/ 1922 Christian 25l 2,357,636 9/1944 David 2-48 ALFRED R. GUEST, Primary Examiner 

